Separated Wheels Part 1
by Sammy
Summary: When the Sams have to babysit bikercops from CA, they are going to be part of their investigations


**Seperated Wheels Part 1  **

**written by [Sammy][1] **

> * * *
> 
> * * *
> 
> * * *
> 
> "What did you get so far?" Chris asked as he leaned over his desk to grab the folder lying on Rita's.
> 
> "Not much." she replied as she rubbed her shoulder. "Why are we working this case anyway? It was armed robbery, and the owner of the boutique just happened to get shot. That's not our case."
> 
> "C'mon, Sam. I know it's not the typical homicide case, but we have no cases to investigate at the moment whereas the guys in robbery are swamped with work. The guy is dead, he was shot, so it kinda makes it a homicide case anyways."
> 
> Rita sighed, "All right. It just has been a long time since I last called up any snitches to ask about the whereabouts of stolen clothes."
> 
> "I know. This kinda puts pressure on us... if homicide cops can't solve a simple robbery, they certainly aren't good for homicide either."
> 
> "Exactly. And to me it feels like this case is going nowhere at all."
> 
> "Look, I requested a file down from records. I'll go and see where it is."
> 
> "No, I will go. I need a little distraction from reading in those files for more than 3 hours."
> 
> Chris just flashed a small smile as he watched Rita get up and leave the squad room. He had just gone back to his file, when a "Chris, Rita, in my office" emanated from Cap. Lipschitz's office.
> 
> Chris closed the file, and went over to his superior's office. He closed the door behind him.
> 
> "Where's Rita?" Cap asked as Chris sat down in a chair in front of the desk.
> 
> "She's down at records, looking for a file I requested. What's up, Cap?"
> 
> "This is up."
> 
> Cap. Lipschitz pushed a letter over the table. Chris unfolded it and began to read it. He raised his eyebrows when he had reached a certain point in the letter.
> 
> "Biker cops? Sheesh, Cap." Chris chuckled.
> 
> "This is nothing to joke about, Lorenzo. The Commissioner decided that Palm Beach needs biker cops. 4 cops from the West coast will help us create a new team, and you," he handed Chris a small folded note, "are to pick them up at the airport."
> 
> "No, no, no way! Rita and I have a case to work on. We can't play baby sitter."
> 
> "This is not a favor, this is an order. They will bring their bikes, so I want you and Rita to take two cars. Now go and don't come back without them."
> 
> "How the hell do you think I am gonna fit two bikes in my car?"
> 
> "Roof, Lorenzo, roof! And you are not gonna take that piece of trash you call a car. An unmarked is ready for you. It is parked in the garage."
> 
> Harry threw a key chain through the air. Chris grabbed it with his left hand.
> 
> "I am only doing this cuz it is an order, Cap!"
> 
> * * *
> 
> Chris and Rita were waiting at the airport. The plane was delayed for 15 minutes, but since they were a little late, it was just their luck, or they probably would have missed the police officers they were to pick up. Chris unfolded the note Cap had given him and read it.
> 
> "So, we are to pick up a Sgt. T.C. Callaway, and Officers Victor Del Toro, Cory McNamara and Chris Kelly. I am gonna love this. 4 guys that are certainly gonna tell us how the hell we have to make our job, great!"
> 
> "Hey, they are here to introduce us to a new way of law enforcement, so stop sulking. All we have to do is take them back to the station."
> 
> "You really think I am gonna let you take two guys back to the station all alone?? We don't even know them!"
> 
> "They are cops, Chris, they certainly know how to behave. And do you really think I don't know how to handle them if they really would come on to me?"
> 
> "Okay, but I have one final question. How shall we know who they are?"
> 
> "Don't worry, we will."
> 
> Chris suddenly began to whistle softly when his gaze followed a brunette and a blond exiting the plane. They shortly turned his way and smiled the moment Rita bumped Chris right in the ribs with her elbow.
> 
> "Hey Sam, what was that for?" he sulked and rubbed his chest.
> 
> "For whistling and looking after those women."
> 
> "Sunshine, you know exactly that you mean everything to me and that you are my life." Chris tried to appease Rita, a naughty grin on his face.
> 
> Rita had to chuckle, "So stop looking after other women."
> 
> The people leaving the plane slowly vanished, and the only ones obviously waiting for someone in the area were two guys, and the two women Chris had whistled after earlier.
> 
> "Don't tell me..." Chris mumbled, when Rita caught him by his arm and led him over.
> 
> "Sgt. Callaway?" she asked, and the tall, blond guy immediately extended his hand in her direction.
> 
> "Sgt. T.C. Callaway, my pleasure." he smiled as they shook hands.
> 
> "Sgt. Rita Lance, Palm Beach PD. This is my partner, Sgt. Chris Lorenzo."
> 
> The six all shook hands, and Cory, Chris and Victor introduced themselves. They headed down to the baggage claim together, picked up their bags and stored them on a cart. Then they went to get their bikes which were stored separately since they were declared oversized and very fragile, not to say valuable.
> 
> "Wow!" escaped Chris lips when he saw the red bikes. "I don't wanna know how much one of these babies is worth."
> 
> "So don't ask." T.C. replied and grinned at him.
> 
> They headed outside to the cars, and Chris, T.C. and Victor placed the bikes securely on the roofs while Rita, Cory and Chris watched. The bags went into the trunks easily. Cory and Chris decided to go into Rita's car, whereas T.C. and Victor would ride with Chris. Shortly after, the two cars drove off.
> 
> * * *
> 
> When Chris pulled up in front of Palm Beach Headquarters, he had already learned how long T.C. and Victor had been in the force, and that they weren't only biker cops, but had to deal with everything from narco to murder.
> 
> "So you mean you really deal with everything that is going on at the beach?" Chris asked and exited the car.
> 
> "Yeah, pretty much everything. Gang rape, drug dealing, up to murder." T.C. replied. "We even had bank robberies, serial killers, stuff like that."
> 
> "Damn! I am glad we only have to deal with the murders. I started out in narcotics, boy, that was enough for me."
> 
> All three chuckled as they entered the building.
> 
> "And what's the deal with the bikes?"
> 
> "That's easy to explain. Most beach areas are not accessible for cars at all, so bikes are a great compromise. They give you all the freedom you need, you can go pretty much everywhere." Victor explained.
> 
> "And they help you stay in good shape."
> 
> Chris grimaced at the look both T.C. and Victor gave him. He was in good shape, not to say the best! Sure, all the sports he did at the moment were a couple of rounds with the heavy bag, and shooting some hoops here and there, but still - he was in as good shape as those two from California!
> 
> Chris was about to push the palm tree doors open to enter the homicide division when Cap. Lipschitz bumped into them.
> 
> "Lorenzo, what took you so long to get back here?" he scolded, and gave him a look over his glasses.
> 
> "Cap, these are Sgt. T.C. Callaway and Officer Victor DelToro. T.C., Victor, this is Captain Harry Lipschitz, in charge of homicide division."
> 
> "Two?" Harry asked as he shook hands with T.C. and Victor. "You were supposed to pick up four, and not two."
> 
> "Rita will be here any minute."
> 
> Harry looked over Chris' shoulder to see if Rita was anywhere near. He shortly turned back to Chris, and then glanced back down the hallway when he finally caught Rita walking around the corner. Much to his surprise, she was talking to two women instead of two guys.
> 
> "Cap, these are Officers Chris Kelly and Cory McNamara." Rita introduced the two women next to her.
> 
> "Okay, then we are set. You know where they are staying, so take them to their motel. There's a meeting set with the Commissioner for tomorrow morning 10:30am, I expect you back here by then. Till then, take the time to explore Palm Beach and its surroundings. I am sure Chris and Rita will be happy to tell you everything they know."
> 
> "Thank you, Captain."
> 
> They all shook hands, then Cap left.
> 
> "So," Chris began, "as Cap said, we're gonna take you to your motel now."
> 
> * * *
> 
> Half an hour later, the bikes where unloaded from the car roofs, and Chris was trying to arrange everything for their rooms. When he came out of the office, he had a kinda undefinable look on his face, and only three keys in his hand.
> 
> "Well..." he started.
> 
> "Well what?" Victor cut in.
> 
> "We have a kinda very small problem. Only three rooms."
> 
> "And?" Cory said as she shrugged her shoulders.
> 
> "There's only a queen bed in each room. I asked for one more room, but apparently there has been a little misunderstanding, I am sorry."
> 
> Chris handed the keys to T.C. who immediately handed one of the keys on to Chris.
> 
> "I think we'll arrange that, no problem. Chris, Cory, you're gonna share a room."
> 
> "Excuse me, why aren't you and Victor going to share a room?"
> 
> "Cuz we are the guys." Victor replied.
> 
> "But as you know, ladies first." Cory smirked as she grabbed a second key out of T.C.'s hands.
> 
> Chris and Rita helped the four to get their belongings into the rooms. Then Chris handed his car keys to Victor.
> 
> "This is one of our unmarkeds. The department decided that this is gonna be yours for the time you are here. You'll need it."
> 
> "Thank you, we will certainly need it."
> 
> "All right then. Since this is your first time here in Palm Beach, Rita and I will help you to make your stay as pleasant as possible. If there is anything you wanna know or see, all you have to do is call and we will try our best to help you out."
> 
> "Thank you." Cory smiled, as she shook hands with Chris. A broad smile broke out on his face too, but it disappeared the moment he felt Rita walking up next to him.
> 
> "As Chris said," she began, "call us when you need anything. You have our numbers. We'll be glad to help you out."
> 
> They all said their goodbyes, and Chris and Rita left. Cory opened the door to her room, when Chris walked up next to her.
> 
> "What do you think about them?" Chris asked and leaned against the wall.
> 
> "They seem to be very nice."
> 
> "You mean _he_ seems to be very nice." Chris chuckled, emphasizing the word 'he'.
> 
> "No, I meant them, but yeah, he has something."
> 
> "And he is married."
> 
> "Chris, why on earth is your first look always on the guy's finger to see if he is wearing a wedding band?" Cory laughed, having noticed that fact, too.
> 
> "I have a rule that I am not going to get involved with a married guy, that's why."
> 
> "You may have that rule, but I can still try."
> 
> * * *
> 
> In another room further down the corridor, Victor placed T.C.'s bag down from the bed to open his own bag.
> 
> "What do you think about them?" he asked as he begun to unpack his stuff.
> 
> "You mean what I think about her."
> 
> "No, I meant what you think about them. And I don't think Rita can compete with your favorite - at least not in your eyes."
> 
> "What do you mean by that?" T.C. asked.
> 
> "C'mon, I have eyes and ears. What exactly is going on between Chris and you?"
> 
> "Nothing. What should be going on with us?" T.C. choked on his words.
> 
> "You are trying to kid the wrong person. C'mon, T.C., I am your best friend. You can tell me."
> 
> "There's nothing I need to tell you. What's going on between Chris and me is... between Chris and me."
> 
> "I knew it!" Victor exclaimed. "You are sleeping together!"
> 
> "Shhh!"
> 
> "You should have told me. I thought I was your friend."
> 
> T.C. sighed as he sat down on the bed, "Chris doesn't want anybody to know about us. She thinks that it will affect our work. I mean what the others at work will think about us. If Palermo knows, one of us has to transfer from Pacific Blue. He already made that clear a couple of months ago."
> 
> "Do you really think I would tell Palermo?" Victor just shook his head. "I think I'll just ask Chris later if maybe she is willing to swap rooms with me... or I am just gonna throw you out, and she will have no other choice than taking you into her room."
> 
> "Don't you dare! If Chris finds out I told you, she's gonna kill me!"
> 
> "Just let me handle this, my friend."
> 
> "This will remain a secret between you and me, all right? Nobody is to know that, especially not Palermo."
> 
> "My lips are sealed, I promise."
> 
> * * *
> 
> Rita rubbed her eyes shortly, and continued to read the file in front of her. They had come up with nothing for their case. No fingerprints at the scene, not even one single detail that could help them catch the perps that broke into the shop down at the boardwalk. No traces of the stolen clothes had been found so far, and no similarities to any other cases. All they had was the dead owner of the shop who couldn't give them any details about those guys anymore.
> 
> "I am beat." Rita announced and leaned back in her chair.
> 
> "You got nothing, hum?"
> 
> "If there was less than nothing, I would say I got less than nothing. Zilch. Nada. I think I am a little out of practice when it comes to robberies and stuff like that."
> 
> "C'mon, Sam, you are good, and it's not much different to a normal homicide case."
> 
> "Then please tell me you've got something."
> 
> Chris just shook his head no.
> 
> "Great. We have a case we can't get any further on, and to top it off, we have to baby sit biker cops from California."
> 
> "It's kind of strange that really nobody saw anybody in the shop at that time of the day. Let's say you'd be a high school or college student, where would you hang out Friday night past 8?"
> 
> "At the boardwalk."
> 
> "Exactly. Somebody must have seen something. Cherchez Les Truc's opening hours were timed with when most people were hanging out at the boardwalk. At nights, Ethan had teh shop open till 10, Fridays till 11. He was shot around 8, so you honestly can't say no one was around."
> 
> "There may have been someone around who saw something, but we don't know it."
> 
> "Then we just have to find this person. We'll place something in the paper."
> 
> "Ask Cap before you do that. He wasn't very pleased with that decision the last time."
> 
> "Yeah, yeah, I will. But I guess for now," Chris closed the folder lying in front of him, "we are done here. I can practically see the energy draining out of you. C'mon."
> 
> Chris got up from his chair, walked around the desks and pulled Rita to her feet.
> 
> "We'll pick up dinner on our way home, what do you think?"
> 
> "But only if I can pick."
> 
> "Whatever you want, Sam."
> 
> * * *
> 
> Downtown, Rita had just stored the leftovers from dinner in the fridge and had closed it when the cell phone lying on the kitchen counter behind her began to ring. She turned and was about to reach for it, but Chris was faster.
> 
> "I get it!" he called, and already answered the call.
> 
> Rita shortly rolled her eyes and sipped on the water bottle in her hands. Then she disappeared upstairs.
> 
> When Chris walked into the bedroom upstairs, he found Rita lying on their bed. The baby sitting on her chest was bouncing joyfully.
> 
> "Look, Mack, daddy's here." Rita uttered and pointed at Chris.
> 
> He sat down on the bed next to his wife, and scooped the infant out of her arms. A loud chuckled escaped the child's lips when Chris lifted her high into the air.
> 
> "Where's my little Mack? Where's my little Mack?" he cooed.
> 
> Rita smiled as she placed her head on her elbow, "Who called?"
> 
> "T.C. He wanted to know a good place where to hang out tonight."
> 
> "What did you tell him?"
> 
> "I said we'd meet them at the boardwalk."
> 
> "Terrific! You could have asked me first. We have no baby sitter for Mack. Besides, I am kind of beat, you know that. Mack kept me up most of the last couple of nights."
> 
> Chris flashed his best puppy look, "I am sorry, sunshine. I just thought it could help you relax a little bit. Besides, I figured we could take Mack with us."
> 
> As usual, Rita couldn't resist that look. A smile played across her lips before she placed a gentle kiss on her husband's lips.
> 
> "Okay, the boardwalk it is. Just let me get Mack ready and we can go."
> 
> * * *
> 
> When Chris pulled up in the parking lot where he had told T.C. to meet them, he already noticed the unmarked parked. He pulled into an empty parking lot. Rita got the baby out of the backseat, while Chris got the stroller out of the trunk. Mack willingly sat down in it, which was almost a miracle these days. Chris pushed the stroller towards McKenna's Cafe - where T.C., Victor, Chris and Cory where already waiting for them.
> 
> "Hey guys. I see you found it." Chris uttered and stopped in front of the four.
> 
> "Yeah, we did. It's not much different than Santa Monica though."
> 
> Meanwhile, Mack had spotted the foursome from California. A pair of tiny little arms reached out in direction of Chris and Cory, and Mack squealed with delight to get everyone's attention.
> 
> "Hey, who do we have here?" Cory cooed at the baby, and shook hands. She earned a bright smile.
> 
> "This is Mackenzie, our daughter." Rita smiled.
> 
> "Your daughter?" Chris asked disbelieving as she looked up from the stroller.
> 
> Chris and Rita just nodded. Cory bit her lower lip. Now she knew why Rita had acted so weird when Chris first had whistled after them, and then when she had kind of started to flirt with him.
> 
> "No offense taken, Cory." Rita chuckled when she saw Cory's expression. "I am used to a lot regarding my husband and attractive women, but I know he loves me."
> 
> "True." Chris replied and laid his arm around Rita's shoulder.
> 
> "All right, enough small talk." Victor cut in. "Where is the fun here?"
> 
> "Down..." Chris turned around and pointed in a certain direction, "that way."
> 
> * * *
> 
> T.C. had just picked up a riffle at a shooting gallery.
> 
> "Okay, boys against girls. Whoever loses treats the others for lunch tomorrow." he announced.
> 
> "Deal."
> 
> Rita handed her almost sleeping daughter over to Chris, when it was her turn. T.C. had shot four tens, a nine, and a seven on the target. Growling, he handed the riffle over to Rita. She just grinned at him before she aimed and shot five tens, and a nine.
> 
> "Boy, you are good." T.C. whistled.
> 
> "She's straight ace." Chris uttered, and watched Victor shoot five tens, and a nine as well.
> 
> After he was done, Victor held out the riffle towards Cory and Chris. Chris was the first one to take it. She didn't do as good as Rita and Victor, but at least she did better than T.C. with four tens, and two nines. She grinned mischievously at T.C. before she handed Chris the riffle.
> 
> Chris carefully placed Mack in Rita's arms before he aimed at the target. His results where the same as Chris': four tens and two nines.
> 
> "We won!" Cory announced even before she shot.
> 
> "One moment, you still have to go!" T.C. pushed, as he felt he was the one losing - and therefore had to treat the others for lunch the next day.
> 
> "Okay, if you really wanna see that..."
> 
> Cory aimed, and within seconds had shot five tens and a nine, like Rita and Victor.
> 
> "So, Mr. Callaway, lunch is your treat tomorrow." Cory smirked.
> 
> "And we won't accept anything like hot dogs or hamburgers." Chris added.
> 
> "Geez, I never knew you two were such a hard bargain." he said as he placed one arm around Cory's, the other around Chris' shoulders.
> 
> "Just admit it, you can't lose, T.C."
> 
> "No, not when it comes to losing against women."
> 
> He grinned mischievously, but nevertheless earned a light bump in the side from Chris.
> 
> "Okay, I guess Rita and I better be going now. Mack needs to be put to bed."
> 
> Chris watched Rita put down their sleeping daughter in the stroller. She tightened the straps securely.
> 
> Victor extended his hand in Chris' direction, "Thanks for showing us around."
> 
> "You're welcome. So, see ya tomorrow."
> 
> "See ya."
> 
> After Chris and Rita had left, the biker cops from California walked down to the darts gallery.
> 
> "Hey T.C., wanna lose again?" Victor smirked.
> 
> "Very funny."
> 
> "Okay guys, I am gonna get us something to drink. Victor, care to join me?"
> 
> Victor just nodded and followed.
> 
> "So..."
> 
> "So what?"
> 
> "Chris and Rita." T.C. just replied.
> 
> "What about them?"
> 
> "They are married, and they are still working together."
> 
> "Where is this going?"
> 
> T.C. turned Chris towards him, "You and me. You see there is nothing you have to be afraid of if people know about us."
> 
> "I just think it's not a good idea if Palermo or anybody else knows about us, not now. They will start questioning our objectivity, you know how that works. One wrong word, and you're out." Chris sighed. "Look, T.C., I don't wanna lose my job, nor do I wanna lose you. What's going on between you and me is our privacy. I want us to keep it a secret as long as possible."
> 
> "You are not ready to deal with the consequences yet, are you?"
> 
> Chris silently shook her head, "Not if it means that one of us has to transfer from Pacific Blue. It wouldn't be that bad if we didn't have rotating partners, but as a matter of fact we do. Palermo doesn't have enough officers to not make us partners from time to time."
> 
> "Okay. If you don't want me to say a word about us to anybody, I won't."
> 
> He placed a quick kiss on Chris' lips before Cory and Victor returned with four bottles of beer.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Rita opened the door to their apartment. Mack was draped across Chris' shoulder, sleeping peacefully.
> 
> "I am gonna put her right down." he whispered to his wife.
> 
> "But don't forget to change her into her pj's. She won't mind."
> 
> Chris disappeared upstairs, so Rita pushed the stroller out of the way. Then she picked up Mack's toys from the ground in the living room and placed them in the playpen. She rubbed her neck when Chris emerged from upstairs.
> 
> "I guess someone needs a neck rub." he smirked, and guided Rita over to the couch. Then he began to massage her shoulders.
> 
> "Mmmm." Rita moaned. "This feels good."
> 
> "Oh, I can think of a couple of other things that certainly would help you relax." Chris whispered seductively into her ear.
> 
> "Yeah?"
> 
> "Yeah. Turn around, feet rub."
> 
> Chris turned Rita around and massaged her feet.
> 
> "You seem tense. You are not nervous about tomorrow, are you?" he asked as he rubbed her left foot.
> 
> "No, why should I be nervous?"
> 
> "I know that ever since you came back to work after Mack was born this was the day you feared most - when the board would decide if we could stay partners or not."
> 
> Rita just sighed, but didn't answer. Chris was right, it was the day she feared the most. The moment they had crossed the line, the moment they had decided to get married and have their baby, their future as partners had been over. Due to the fact that the homicide devision was short on officers and that Rita went on maternity leave ever before a decision was made, they were still partners - at least on the paper.
> 
> "C'mon, Sammy, you know that there is no other partner out there that I want, and I made that clear several times. You are my partner, and it will always be like that." Chris tried to appease his wife. "Our file record is the best out there. They can't be that dense to split up homicide's best team."
> 
> "What if they do? I won't be able to trust anyone out there to watch my back the way you do, nor do I trust anybody else out there to watch your back."
> 
> "You remember what we talked about before we got married?"
> 
> "About quitting the force?"
> 
> Chris nodded silently. He stopped massaging Rita's feet and pulled her closer to him.
> 
> "I know that at that time we were ready to do that, but now we have Mackenzie to support, Chris. We first have to think about her, about her future. We can't just quit, not knowing what life will bring for us."
> 
> "I know that we have to think about Mack, and what will be the best for her, but we both know that in our job you have to trust your partner to survive. If you don't, it's gonna be really dangerous, and you put your life in the line of fire. What would that do to Mack?"
> 
> "Are you trying to scare me here?"
> 
> "No, I am not trying to scare you. I just don't know how to survive out there without you watching my back." Chris argued. "And to think about you being out there with someone else watching your back... I don't trust anyone else."
> 
> "See, there we have what this rule is about. We both won't have a clear mind out there cuz we always have to think about each other. Maybe it's not that bad to team us up with someone else."
> 
> "Excuse me, do you want to get rid of me?"
> 
> "No, I don't want to get rid of you. Look, you said you have to trust your partner to survive out there, you have to have a clear mind to cover your partner's back... but how can I have a clear mind when my mind starts racing, thinking about you getting hurt when we are out there? Mack and I need you healthy and in one piece. I think I would be more of a danger to you out there than anything else."
> 
> "Hey, no!" Chris exclaimed. "I always trusted you out there, you and you alone. That's not gonna change, not in a million years."
> 
> "It may take time till you can trust someone else out there, as it took you time to trust me out there, but maybe it's the best for us."
> 
> Chris got up, "You really wanna stop fighting for us remaining partners?"
> 
> "No, I won't! I just want us to discuss what will happen if they split us up. We can't quit, you know that, we have to care for Mack."
> 
> "If you believe in it they won't split us up!"
> 
> "Please, Chris, face reality. It's a rule, and they won't just make an exception like that. It's not gonna work when you just believe in it. It doesn't matter to them what you and I want, I thought you learned that lesson by now. I - at least - already learned that we can try everything we want, but there won't be anything that will make higher-ups to change the rules. That's what rules are for. We broke the rules, and have to face the consequences now."
> 
> "Those rules are bullshit!" Chris exclaimed, but lowered his voice immediately as to not wake his daughter upstairs. "What do you want me to do now?"
> 
> "I just want you to accept the fact that maybe from tomorrow on we won't be partners any longer. You have to try and trust another person out there."
> 
> "What if I just can't?"
> 
> Upstairs, Mackenzie began to cry. Rita shortly looked at her husband and shook her head slightly, before she got up to look after her daughter.
> 
> * * *
> 
> "You know what, T.C.? You go to the room and I will go call Linda from the lobby." Victor said as he handed T.C. the key.
> 
> "It's already way past midnight." T.C. uttered, but he got a silent answer from Victor as he raised his eyebrows. "Ah, okay, I know. Different time zones. Just remember not to get too hot and heavy on the phone, or I may have to drag you back to the room with these two hands here. And I tell you, it's not gonna be a pleasure for you at all!"
> 
> Victor chuckled and watched T.C. enter their room. Then he quickly rushed to Chris' room and knocked.
> 
> "Hey Victor, what's up?" Chris asked and led him into the room.
> 
> "T.C. is up."
> 
> "What do you mean?"
> 
> "I will show you."
> 
> Victor started stuffing Chris' clothes that were scattered over the bed into her bag and then handed it to her. Chris looked at him questioningly when he pushed her out of the room and down the corridor towards T.C.'s room.
> 
> "Thanks for the room! You can bring my stuff later on." he chuckled and vanished into Chris' room.
> 
> "Victor!" Chris called after him, and knocked on the door. "Victor, this is not fun!"
> 
> When she didn't get any other response from Victor than evil laughter, she moved to T.C.'s room and knocked at the door. T.C. had just laid down in bed when he heard the knock. Dressed only in his boxers, he went to open the door. Since he had expected Victor, his jaw almost hit the floor when he saw Chris, her bag on the floor next to her.
> 
> "Chris!" he gasped. "What are you doing here?"
> 
> "Ask Victor! What did you tell him?"
> 
> T.C. didn't reply. He just grabbed Chris' bag from the ground, and dragged her inside the room.
> 
> "What is going on here?" he asked after he had placed the bag on the floor.
> 
> "I said ask Victor! He threw me out of my room!"
> 
> "He did what?"
> 
> T.C. grabbed his shirt from the chair with the intetion to leave the room and ask Victor what the heck had crossed his mind.
> 
> Chris held him back from putting on the shirt as she grabbed him by his arm, "T.C., what did you tell him?"
> 
> "Nothing, really!"
> 
> "Truth. I thought we wanted to keep our relationship a secret."
> 
> "He sensed something. What should I have told him when he asked? He is my friend, and I didn't wanna lie to him."
> 
> "So you told him, freaking great!"
> 
> "Chris, please. It was something different just to keep it from our friends, but I can't lie to them when they come to me asking what is going on with us. Victor just thought he was doing us a favor."
> 
> "A favor? A FAVOR? If Palermo finds out..."
> 
> "Shhh." T.C. placed his finger on Chris' lips to silence her. "He promised he won't tell anybody, least of all not Palermo. Victor can keep a secret, you know that. He is our friend. We really should make the best out of this."
> 
> T.C. encircled Chris with his arms and pulled her up against his body.
> 
> Chris silently chuckled, "The best, huh?"
> 
> "Yeah."
> 
> "Hum, maybe Victor did us a favor after all...."
> 
> Chris' hands rested on T.C.'s bare chest, and she looked directly into his eyes before she kissed him passionately.
> 
> * * *

> Victor had already fallen half asleep on the bed when a knock at the door made him sit up like lightning. He rubbed the back of his neck as he moved to open the door. It was T.C. who held his bag in his direction.

> "I don't wanna go into what you did tonight, but believe me, buddy, you'll have to pay for this." 

> "What, I just did you two a favor. You guys needed a little push." he replied and took the bag from T.C. "Chris is mad at me, huh?"

> "No, not any longer, but believe me, she was about to kill you for what you did."

> "It was worth it. And see, it took you a little over an hour to get my stuff to me. I guess I must have done something right."

> T.C. rolled his eyes at Victor's naughty grin. That guy was unbelievable!

> * * *

> The alarm clock went off in the Lorenzo's bedroom early the next morning. Rita rolled on her side to shut it off when she realized that the bed next to her was empty. She grabbed her gown, got dressed and left the bedroom. The nursery next door was empty, so Chris must have taken Mackenzie down for breakfast already. She found them in the kitchen as she thought. Mackenzie's little head was resting on her daddy's shoulder, and she was snoring softly.

> "Morning." Rita whispered as she placed her hand on her daughter's back and gently placed a kiss on Chris' lips.

> "Breakfast is almost ready." Chris announced as he handed Mackenzie to Rita.

> "When did she wake up? I didn't hear her cry."

> "Around 5:30am. I guess she must have had a nightmare. Took me until about 20 minutes ago to get her back to sleep."

> Rita silently shook her hand and got two mugs out of the cupboard. She placed them on the table and then sat down. She grabbed the finished coffee and poured two cups of coffee for herself and her husband.

> "Look," Chris began while he placed two plates with egg and bacon on the table, "I am sorry for a couple of things I said last night. I wasn't very objective, and I think I hurt you."

> "It's okay. It was a long day yesterday, and we both were frustrated with our case."

> "No, it's not okay, Sammy. From the beginning on you were the one who wasn't ready for anyone to know about us, but I really thought I was. And now you seem to be taking this easier than I do."

> "I am not taking this so easy, believe me. How about we'll just see what today will bring for us and not discuss this any longer. It won't change anything at all, it will just make us feel more miserable."

> A smile broke out on Chris' face. He placed his elbow on the table, then his chin on his hand and gazed at his wife.

> "What?" Rita chuckled, backing away a little.

> "That's what I love about you. You always tend to think positive no matter how hopeless a situation is."

> "That's part of my charm."

> "That it definitely is."

> * * *

> When T.C. woke up, the bed next to him was empty. He blinked into the sun, when he saw a shadow emerging from the bathroom. He smiled when Chris crept back into bed next to him.
> 
> "Why are you up so early?" he asked after he had placed a tender kiss on her lips.
> 
> "I couldn't sleep."
> 
> "What is bothering you?"
> 
> Chris placed her head on her elbow and glanced at T.C.
> 
> "The fact that our secret relationship isn't secret any longer."
> 
> "I told you that Victor won't tell anybody."
> 
> "It's not only that. I have to tell Cory now."
> 
> "We have to tell Cory."
> 
> "No," Chris shook her head, "I have to tell her. I am the one who is living with her, not you."
> 
> "When will you tell her?"
> 
> "I think I should do it before breakfast, or maybe something will slip out Victor's lips during breakfast."
> 
> "And you really don't want me to be there?"
> 
> Again, Chris shook her head. She placed a quick kiss on T.C.'s lips before she got up. T.C. just sighed as he watched Chris grab her shoes from the floor und and leave the room. Chris hoped that Cory was already up when she knocked at her door. Cory opened immediately. Her hair was wrapped in a towel, so Chris could tell she hadn't woken her up.
> 
> "Hey Chris, what's up?" Cory asked and closed the door behind her friend.
> 
> "Uhm, hmm, yeah, there's something I need to tell you. Non work related." Chris shortly paused before she continued, "Do you remember you once asked me where I spent all those nights when I didn't come home and I didn't give you a clear answer?"
> 
> Cory just raised her eyebrows and grinned, "I was wondering when you were going to tell me."
> 
> "Excuse me?"
> 
> "C'mon, I have eyes and ears. You already told me once that your feelings for T.C. were more than just best friends. I really don't know how you two could resist each other for so long."
> 
> "But how?!?"
> 
> "You remember those two nice elderly ladies from next door? They saw T.C. climb out of your window one night, dressed only in a pair of boxers. And what else would T.C. be doing in your room dressed only in a pair of boxers... I don't think you were just going through some files for work."
> 
> Chris grimaced.
> 
> "Besides, Victor and I saw you two kissing last night. This was the last proof we needed to be 100% sure we were right about you two."
> 
> "Great. Why not skywrite it:'Chris loves T.C.'."
> 
> "My lips are sealed, you know that. You two are my friends, and if you don't want anybody to know about it, I won't say a word. Not even to Palermo if that's what you fear."
> 
> "Thanks."
> 
> "You'd do the same for me."
> 
> * * *
> 
> Rita nervously paced the floor in front of the commissioner's office. Chris was inside being interrogated right this moment. Her mind went back to their conversation the night before. Rita wasn't that sure that what she had said to Chris had been right. He should face reality, but reality was that even her didn't want any other partner than him, and just thinking about it made her nervous.
> 
> Suddenly, the door swung open, and Chris left the office. He silently held the door open and indicated for Rita to go inside. No words were spoken. Rita sighed. Just by Chris being that silent she knew that it hadn't gone that well inside.
> 
> Harry smiled at her before she sat down in front of him, Commissioner Lawhurst and DA Harrison.
> 
> "Sgt. Lance, you know what this hearing is about. We are here to decide whether Sgt. Lorenzo and you will remain partners or will be assigned new partners immediately."
> 
> Rita nodded, "I know, Commissioner Lawhurst."
> 
> "As we told Sgt. Lorenzo before, we discussed this issue with your superior, Captain Lipschitz, before. However, there have been no evident reasons not to split you up."
> 
> "With all due respect, sir," Rita began, "Sgt. Lorenzo and I have the best criminal record out there, by far."
> 
> Rita watched as DA Harrison opened a file lying in front of him. He put his glasses down as he began interrogating her.
> 
> "Sgt. Lance, Internal Affairs marked several incidents in your personal record. It seems that you and Sgt. Lorenzo did some blackbag jobs..."
> 
> "Excuse me, sir." Rita interrupted him. "I am a police officer, my job is to serve and protect. There are laws out there, and I can't just sit there and watch when money can bend the rules wherever it is needed, neither can my partner."
> 
> "This is right, Sgt. Lance, there are certain rules, and you are police officer, but as a police officer you are also to obey these rules, not to bend them the way you want. This doesn't make you any better." DA Harrison argued, and read on in the file. "I see you and Sgt. Lorenzo have been suspended by IA several times due to your unconventional work methods."
> 
> "This is ridiculous!" Rita exclaimed. "Sgt. Lorenzo and I both got suspended by IA only once, and just because we were close to solving a murder case which two IA agents were involved with. As you can read in that file, our suspension was revoked the moment the agents were arrested."
> 
> "Nevertheless you worked on a case you were suspended from."
> 
> "I thought this was a hearing to decide whether Sgt. Lorenzo and I will remain partners, and not to question our backgrounds."
> 
> Commissioner Lawhurst leaned forward on the desk, "Sgt. Lance, your backgrounds are a vital part of this hearing. It helps us decide whether you will be split up or not. We need to know how you two worked together over the years. All we can see at the moment is that someone obviously did a big mistake when they paired two hotshot cops like you, who don't obey the rules."
> 
> "Excuse me!"
> 
> Harry raised his hand to stop Rita's outburst.
> 
> "Commissioner Lawhurst, I know that Sgt. Lance and Sgt. Lorenzo have a very unconventional way of solving their cases, but they would never intentionally do anything illegal. How often did you bend the rules the way you needed them? They never broke any rules."
> 
> "I may correct you on this," DA Harrison cut in. "Sgt. Lorenzo and Sgt. Lance broke the most important rule there is: nothing physical between partners."
> 
> "Great! So this rule should tell me who I am allowed to love and who not?" Rita argued. "I can't just tell my heart not to love my husband just because he is my partner. We've tried it long enough, but eventually there came a point when we just couldn't deny it any longer."
> 
> "Sgt. Lance, don't you think there is a reason why this rule was made? Married partners are a potential danger to each other. Police officers need a clear mind out in the field, and cases have proven that married partners will lose their objectivity."
> 
> Rita muttered silently. The DA and the Commissioner already seemed to have made up their mind, so why all this? She looked at Harry for help and support, but he just shrugged his shoulder. He had done all he could, and Rita knew it.
> 
> "Sgt. Lance, we will let you know about our decision."
> 
> "Yeah, fine, whatever." Rita uttered before she left the office.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Rita was really tensed when she walked into the squad room. She sat down at her desk, starting to shift folders from one end of the desk to other, not looking up at Chris even once.
> 
> "I don't think I need to ask you what kind of a feeling you have." Chris said as he leaned over to Rita's desk.
> 
> "I don't know why we even were asked. They had already made up their minds before we went in there." she exclaimed.
> 
> "Calm down, Sam."
> 
> "And I told you to face reality last night... "
> 
> "You were afraid of what would happen today. I can understand that."
> 
> "Do you know what? Sometimes I think we work for nothing. All the cases we solved, it's just nothing."
> 
> "They haven't said anything about us being split up yet, there is still hope."
> 
> Both Chris and Rita looked up when they saw Harry walk through the palm tree doors. He shook his head no at his two detectives, and then gestured for them to follow him into his office.
> 
> Chris and Rita didn't look each other as they got up. They already knew that Harry didn't have any good news for them. Harry closed the door behind them.
> 
> "I am really sorry." he said as he sat down in his chair.
> 
> "We already knew." Chris replied.
> 
> "I wish there was more I could have done for you."
> 
> "No, Cap, you did everything you could."
> 
> "I really hate to do this, but as of now, Sgt. Lorenzo, Sgt. Lance, consider yourself divorced as partners. The cases you are currently working on will be handed over to Chris."
> 
> "So what's next? Do you want me to sweep out the file room?"
> 
> Harry shook his head at Rita's sarcastic remark, "Chris, you will be assigned a new partner as soon as possible."
> 
> "And what about me?"
> 
> Harry silently handed Rita a letter, "Maybe this brought something good after all."
> 
> She flipped it open and began to read, Chris reading over her shoulder.
> 
> "Hey, you got your promotion, Sam!"
> 
> "Chief of detectives?" she gasped.
> 
> "They decided you'll be the best to be in charge supervice Palm Beach's new biker patrol."
> 
> "What? You mean I am gonna be a biker cop from now on?"
> 
> "Oh, I can see that, Sam. Tight shirts and shorts... boy, I gotta love this!"
> 
> Rita playfully slapped Chris with the letter in her hand.
> 
> "I am a homicide cop, not a biker cop. I don't wear an uniform, and I don't go on patrol."
> 
> "Please, it's up to you to take this job or not. But don't think you'll find a way to even stay in the same department. Higher-ups will transfer one of you to another department, you know that. If you think narcotics or vice is better than that, I am all ears, Lt. Lance."
> 
> Chris looked at Rita with an almost begging expression, but she knew exactly that being in charge of the new biker patrol was much better than working narcotics or vice. Besides, being Lt. Rita Lance was all she'd worked for, and that rank was not something you could turn down that easily.
> 
> "All right, I'll take the job, but..." Rita paused shortly, "I don't want to hear any comments about my future uniform, especially from you, Sgt. Lorenzo."
> 
> Chris just grinned at his wife, without answering.
> 
> * * *
> 
> It was shortly before 10:30am when Cap and Rita walked into a conference room on the 2nd floor. About a dozen people were waiting in the room, among them the biker cops from Santa Monica, dressed in their uniforms. Rita wrinkled her nose at the sight of the uniforms.
> 
> "May I have your attention please?" Harry called to top the noise. Everybody turned in his direction. "I am Captain Harry Lipschitz, homicide division, for those of you who don't know me already. I see that you introduced yourself already to our loan-out officers from biker patrol in Santa Monica. You have been chosen among the best to be part of Palm Beach's first biker patrol. With no further ado, I introduce you to your superior, Lt. Rita Lance. She will tell you everything you need to know."
> 
> Harry shortly nodded at Rita before he left the room.
> 
> "Okay," Rita began as she placed a thick folder on the table in the middle of the room. "First off, biker patrol will have separate headquarters down at the beach. We will meet there later this afternoon. Officers Callaway, Del Toro, Kelly and McNamara from Santa Monica will fill you in on all the essentials that biker cops have to take care of."
> 
> Rita indicated for the four Californian cops to start with their lecture.
> 
> "I am Sgt. T.C Callaway, part of Santa Monica's biker patrol." T.C. uttered as they walked up in front of the group and put his hands on his belt as he often used to do. "I've been a biker cop for several years now. There are many prejudices about biker cops, but I have to tell you that being a biker cop is much more than just being on patrol. A bike gives you the opportunity to access places where no car, nor a motorbike can go."
> 
> "Your bike has to become a part of you." Chris cut in. "When I joined the biker patrol 3 years ago, it was hard for me to get along on a bike. I saw it just as a vehicle to get me from one place to another, but your bike is much more than that. It is an essential part of your work."
> 
> "Your bike is your weapon, you just need to know how to use it. We are here to show you exactly this, not how to do your work. You were trained at the academy to do your work out on the streets. We want to help you do it using a bike."
> 
> * * *
> 
> It was early lunchtime when Chris met with Rita, T.C., Victor, Cory and Chris at the Roach Coach.
> 
> "You holding up to your word from last night, T.C.?" Chris smirked as he said down at the table.
> 
> "Sure," T.C. replied. "Lunch on me."
> 
> Chris snipped his fingers in the air, and when he had the waitress's attention, made a big circle in the air.
> 
> "Christopher Lorenzo, you are not ordering the combo plate, are you?"
> 
> "Who, me? Would I do that?"
> 
> "Yeah, you would. That plate is enough food for three!"
> 
> "Sa-am!" Chris sulked, like a little child.
> 
> "Not that way." Rita chuckled and raised her hand.
> 
> "Sammy, we are not alone at this table. Will you stop this, please?" Chris whispered to her. He quickly looked around the table, and saw that everybody was already holding back their laughter.
> 
> "Over my dead body, you hear me, Mr. Lorenzo? You eat the combo plate, and I won't answer to any future 'Sam, I have troubles with my stomach, where is the toluol', 'Sam, I could need some chicken soup to settle down my stomach' or worse."
> 
> With a contrite look on his face, Chris waved for the waitress to bring him a simple bowl of chili.
> 
> "I have to say, you raised this boy pretty well, mom." Victor smirked as he patted Chris' shoulder.
> 
> Suppressed laughter could be heard around the table.
> 
> "Ha ha, very funny, everybody had their fun for today." Chris sulked. "So, what are your plans for today?"
> 
> "Why are you changing the topic so quickly, Sam?"
> 
> "Yeah? What was the topic before I joined you?"
> 
> Again, everybody laughed of Chris' oh so innocent sounding inquiring.
> 
> "Christopher Lorenzo, you are impossible."
> 
> Chris slightly shook his head, "No, I resent that."
> 
> Chris and Rita had maneuvered themselves in a kinda awkward situation. Just in time, a cell phone began to ring. Both Chris and Rita reached for their phones, but it was Rita who had to answer.
> 
> "Lt. Lance... Hey Frannie, what's the matter?... What? Now?... Fran... Fran... Frannie, I can't take the afternoon off. I have an important meeting this afternoon... no, I can't, and neither Chris... Fran, please... I know you are sorry, but you can't... all right, all right, Fran. Be there in 15. Talk to you later."
> 
> "What is it now?" Chris asked as he rolled his eyes.
> 
> "Fran said that her friend Cordelia called. Life and death. Will you pick up Mack?"
> 
> "C'mon, Sam, this is the third time she's calling us away from work ever since we agreed she could baby sit Mack."
> 
> "I know, but I trust her with Mack. So, will you pick her up?"
> 
> "I can't, I have a court meeting this afternoon."
> 
> "What should I do with her? We are out in the field this afternoon!" Rita argued.
> 
> "Get a kid's seat for your bike, whatever. I can't take her, I am sorry."
> 
> "Christopher!"
> 
> Chris was about to say something when his pager went off. He looked at it shortly, before he raised from his chair.
> 
> "Cap paged me. I don't wanna know what it is now. Talk to you later."
> 
> "Chris, what about Mackenzie?" Rita called after him, but just saw her husband waving his hand in the air.
> 
> "All right, I have to get going then to pick up Mack." Rita sighed. "I will meet you guys down at headquarters at 2pm. You know where it is?"
> 
> Victor nodded, "One of the officers gave us explicit instructions. I think we will find it."
> 
> "See ya later."
> 
> * * *
> 
> 11 bikes were parked in front of Palm Beach's new biker patrol headquarters, and eleven officers were waiting next to their bikes. Next to headquarters, a small playground was built up - meant for training purposes for the new biker cops.
> 
> "It's 2:15 already. We're gonna be late with the schedule if we don't start now." Cory remarked after she'd glanced checked her watch.
> 
> "We can't. Rita is not here yet."
> 
> As if Rita had heard that, she showed up around the corner. She was leading her, pushing strands of windblown hair out of her face.
> 
> "I am sorry I am late, but I had a little problem finding a baby sitter."
> 
> "I guess we'll still be in time if we start now. Victor, c'mon."
> 
> T.C. and Victor rolled their bikes in direction of the see-saw. Victor drove right on it. As he was half across, it tipped down to the ground, and he rolled down on the other side.
> 
> "This may look pretty simple, but once you have crossed the middle of the see-saw, it is essential that you keep your balance, or you may fall down. Who wants to go first?" T.C. turned in Rita's direction. "Lieutenant?"
> 
> Rita cringed at the thought of driving over the see-saw. She wasn't comfortable with the thought of being on that thing while it tipped down to the ground, but heck, she was in charge, she had no other choice.
> 
> It took her a lot of courage to really approach the point where the see-saw would tip over, but she did it. Slowly, the see-saw bent down to the earth, and her bike rolled down.
> 
> "That was good! Now I want all of you going over that see-saw. C'mon."
> 
> * * *
> 
> Two hours and 3 exercises later, Victor had built up a small hurdle they should jump over. He had placed the end of a board on an about 2 1/2' high table. He signaled to Cory that he was ready, and she drove onto the board, and jumped over the table.
> 
> Rita could tell that the young officers were eager to do some jumping with their bikes, but for her it was already over after Chris had told them to drive on a 4' high and 1' wide wall. Thanks god she had that much control over her bike that she didn't fall!
> 
> Chris stood next to Rita as they watched the officers do their exercises.
> 
> "You guys don't really jump over anything, do you?"
> 
> "Oh yeah, over chairs, tables, stalls, benches, railings, whatever is in your way."
> 
> "I have some serious doubts about this being the right job for me."
> 
> "Believe me, I thought the same when I was transferred to biker patrol." Chris chuckled. "All you need is a little confidence, and a little training. You'll see, one day you'll reach a point when it is just natural to do such things. I remember that it cost me a lot of convincing to drive on a pier railing, 20 yards above the water level, but I did it."
> 
> "Nah," Rita argued, "I think I am just too old for this kind of work. I mean, look at all those officers. They are at least 10 years younger than I am."
> 
> "Bruises and grazes go together with being a biker cop. True, you may fall off your bike from time to time, but we are here to show you what to do to not hurt yourself badly. Self confidence is rule number one."
> 
> * * *
> 
> Rita could barely keep her eyes open when she walked through the door of her apartment. It was almost seven. Chris had called earlier telling her that he would be late, so she decided to call the Chinese delivery for dinner as soon as he got home.
> 
> "That was a fun day, huh? I guess Uncle Harry spoilt you with a big scoop of ice cream, didn't he?" Rita cooed at her daughter who was sitting on her arm as she made her way to the living room.
> 
> Mackenzie just smiled at her.
> 
> "Mommy needs a shower. You will be a nice little girl and stay in your playpen till daddy returns, all right?"
> 
> Rita put the girl down in the playpen. She was satisfied to see that her daughter immediately reached for her toys, and showed no interests in playing with her anymore. She grabbed the baby phone from table, and took it with her upstairs to the bathroom. When she turned it on, she heard Mackenzie babbling with her toys.
> 
> She placed the baby phone on the vanity table, and then undressed to get ready for the shower.
> 
> * * *
> 
> When Chris returned, he found his little daughter dozing in the playpen. Her thumb in her mouth, she was lying comfortably on the baby blanket. He carefully ruffled her hair before he went upstairs to see where Rita was. He heard the water in the shower running. It was turned off a minute later.
> 
> Chris opened the door to the bathroom, and peered inside.
> 
> "Hey sunshine." he smiled when he saw that Rita was already wrapped in a towel, her back turned towards him.
> 
> Rita jumped, "Geez, Chris, don't you ever do that to me again! That cost me at least five years of my life."
> 
> "I am sorry." He walked into the bathroom and placed a quick kiss on Rita's lips. "Have you eaten yet?"
> 
> "No, we came back about half an hour ago. I thought we could call the delivery."
> 
> "Okay. Mack fell asleep downstairs in the playpen."
> 
> "It's a wonder she didn't fall asleep earlier. She missed her nap this afternoon. As you might know I had to ask Cap to sit her since Frannie suddenly had a really important meeting with one of her charities."
> 
> Suddenly, Chris noticed a bruise on Rita' left shoulder. He turned her around to have a closer look at it.
> 
> "What happened?" he finally asked.
> 
> "Nothing serious. I fell off the bike. Happens once in a while when you try to jump off a wall with a bike."
> 
> "Excuse me?"
> 
> "Oh yeah, it was really fun driving on top of walls, over see-saws and jumping over tables and boxes."
> 
> "Oh yeah, I would really like to see you doing that." Chris smirked.
> 
> Rita heard the funny and disbelieving tone in her husband's voice.
> 
> "You mean I am joking?"
> 
> "No, uhm, ugh.... you really did that?"
> 
> "Why do you think I have scraped my knees and several bruises all over my body?"
> 
> "Oh, my poor Sammy. C'mon, I'll help you make it feel better."
> 
> Chris placed a tender kiss on the bruise on her shoulder. Then he slowly began trailing kisses up her shoulder, to her neck.
> 
> "Do you feel better now?" he asked huskily between his kisses.
> 
> Rita just shook her head no shortly before she pulled his head in her direction and claimed his mouth with hers. They enjoyed this for nearly a minute before a loud wail emerged from the baby phone.
> 
> "I'll get her." Chris uttered as he released Rita out of his arms. "You think about what you want me to order for dinner, okay?"
> 
> Rita just nodded and watched her husband leave the bathroom.
> 
> * * *
> 
> A low breeze was blowing when T.C. and Chris strolled down the beach. They thought they had stolen themselves away from the motel without Victor and Cory knowing... but little did they know that Victor and Cory had waited just for that, seeing the two of them walking towards the boardwalk about two blocks down the street.
> 
> "Are you cold?" T.C. asked as he placed his arm around Chris' shoulders. He pulled her closer to his warm body.
> 
> "Not anymore." Chris replied. "This place here, it's so much like home."
> 
> "You like it here?"
> 
> "Yeah, yeah, I do."
> 
> "Maybe when we are both gray and old, I will buy us a house and we'll move here."
> 
> Chris slowed her pace, "This sounds so permanent."
> 
> "Christine Kelly, you are the only woman I've ever wanted. I love you."
> 
> T.C. stopped and leaned in to place a passionate kiss on Chris' lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.
> 
> "Do you really see us together in the future?"
> 
> "Don't you?"
> 
> "I don't know, I mean... why, I asked you first. I want an answer from you."
> 
> "I already told you that I love you, baby. I want us to grow old together."
> 
> Chris said nothing. She just cleared her throat and pulled her arms away from T.C.
> 
> "Did I say something wrong?"
> 
> "I don't know. At the moment, I just picture us together day by day, what it will be like between us in a week. I am not thinking in years, not to say in decades."
> 
> T.C. placed his hands on Chris' upper arms and began to rub them softly.
> 
> "I don't know what made me to say something like that. I am sorry. I don't wanna put any pressure on you, or anything. It's just that I've never been happier in my life than now being together with you."
> 
> "Me neither, but I don't know if I am ready to think about anything that will happen a month from now, a year. I enjoy how it is between us at the moment."
> 
> T.C. was about to say something, when a shot echoed through the silence around them. Both his and Chris' head whirled in direction of the upper boardwalk. Without even thinking, they ran to the street, but couldn't see anything. People were strolling along the boardwalk as if nothing had happened.
> 
> "You heard it too, didn't you?" T.C. asked with a disbelieving tone in his voice. When he saw Chris' nod, all his doubts that he hadn't heard a shot vanished. But where had the shot come from?
> 
> T.C. didn't know why, but the open door to a boutique on the other side of the boardwalk caught his attention. He gestured for Chris to stay behind him when he entered.
> 
> "Hello?" he called, but didn't get an answer. So he called again.
> 
> "T.C., over there." Chris whispered, and indicated a pair of legs behind the counter. It looked like someone was kneeling on the floor. T.C. grabbed an umbrella from the rack next to him. He swung it over his shoulder like a baseball bat when he slowly approached the counter.
> 
> When he had reached the counter, he found a young man lying over a box. Blood trailed from the back of his head.
> 
> "Call it in." he exclaimed as he kneeled down and checked the guy's pulse, but couldn't find one. He was dead. He looked up at Chris who had reached for the phone on the counter and dialed 911, and shook his head no.
> 
> * * *
> 
> When Chris arrived at the scene 20 minutes later, he somehow wasn't surprised to see the two biker cops at the scene.
> 
> "I was told you called it in. What happened?"
> 
> "We were down at the beach when we heard a shot coming from the boardwalk." T.C. replied and rubbed the back of his head.
> 
> "You didn't see anybody, did you?"
> 
> Chris shook his head, "The boardwalk was crowded. If we saw the guy who shot him, we probably didn't recognize him."
> 
> Chris rubbed his temple as he watched the ME pack the DB into a sack and lift it onto a stretcher. He couldn't tell if this robbery somehow was connected to the case he was already working on. The owner of this shop had been kind of executed. It looked like he was kneeling on the floor when he was shot, the gun pointed right at the back of his head. There were hardly any blood stains at the scene, and Chris could already tell that they probably wouldn't find any other finger prints than the owner's and several of his costumers.
> 
> "Do you think this was just a robbery?" T.C. asked, regarding that not much of the clothes in the shop were missing.
> 
> "You mean cuz it looks like he was executed? I don't know. I am currently working on another armed robbery. A couple of guys broke into a boutique further down the boardwalk last Friday night. The owner died, but it looks more like he was shot by mistake - but this here... And you really didn't see anything?"
> 
> "No, honestly, we didn't see anything."
> 
> "I don't even know why we came in here. It was more like an inner voice told me that something strange was going on in here."
> 
> "Okay. You guys know how that works. Don't leave town till this case is solved or till I tell you it's all right to leave. There may be some more questions I have to ask you."
> 
> "Sure. Talk to you later, Chris."
> 
> "Yeah, see ya, guys."
> 
> Chris sighed as he watched T.C. and Chris leave the shop. The first thing he would need to do in the morning was to check for any connections between the two cases. Astrange feeling nagged Chris - the feeling that he wouldn't find even one connection between the victims.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Rita woke early the next morning by some strange noise emanating from downstairs. She grabbed her gown from the chair next to the bed, got dressed and went downstairs. Chris had gotten the chalkboard out of the kitchen and had placed it on the sofa table in front of him, leaned against a heavy vase. Rita just crossed her arms in front of her chest when she saw that. Chris probably had wiped the board clean BEFORE noting down everything she'd written down to get at the grocery store.
> 
> "I think this means you have to go grocery shopping today." she uttered as she sat down on the couch next to her husband.
> 
> Chris just looked at her with blank eyes.
> 
> "See, Chris, this board says KITCHEN at the top, which means I am gonna write down on it what I need to get from the grocery store. Don't tell me you didn't see there was a long list written on it."
> 
> "Sorry." Chris mumbled. He continued staring at the two Polaroids he had pinned on the board, along with the word 'similarities' written under it.
> 
> "Please tell me you didn't spend the whole night down here."
> 
> "I couldn't sleep. Something is bothering me about this case. Besides, I thought I'd let you get the sleep you need and look after Mack. She kept me up most of the night anyway. Thank god she's been sleeping for the last 3 hours. She seems to like her playpen better than her bed."
> 
> Chris indicated the playpen across the room with his head. Rita could see her tiny daughter curled up under a blanket, her pacifier in her mouth.
> 
> "Okay, let me help you with this. I have at least an hour before I have to get ready for work."
> 
> "No, you shouldn't be worrying about this case, it's not yours any longer. There's enough concerning biker patrol that you have to worry about."
> 
> "I am offering my help. Certainly won't happen again that fast."
> 
> Rita shortly smiled at Chris as she took a file from the table. It was the report she had written before she'd been transferred to biker patrol.
> 
> "C'mon, Sam, that is old crap. Don't tell me this stuff kept you awake again."
> 
> "It did. The case last night, I just know those were the same guys, but the only similarities I could find were that both shops were on the boardwalk, two dead guys, and a lot of missing clothes."
> 
> "What makes you think it were the same guys? Ethan was shot by accident, whereas this guy... it looks more like he was executed."
> 
> "I know, but there is one connection between them. I just have to find it."
> 
> "Okay," Rita got up, "I'll make us some coffee, and then we'll see what we can find."
> 
> "One more cup of coffee, and I am gonna get a caffeine shock. But thanks for the offer, Sam."
> 
> "Okay, since you seem to have had too much caffeine already, go upstairs and lay down. Please. You need the sleep. I will go through this. Maybe I can find something."
> 
> "This isn't your case any longer, Rita." Chris exclaimed, but lowered his voice immediately. "I am sorry. I guess I really could need some sleep, but I don't want you worrying about my case."
> 
> "Go to bed, Sam."
> 
> Chris just nodded and vanished upstairs. Rita sighed as she shut down the computer and placed the folders in a pile. Then she carefully picked Mackenzie up and brought her to her crib. When she entered the bedroom, she found Chris lying on the bed on his stomach. He seemed to just have fallen down on the bed, without even taking his shoes off - and he was totally out.
> 
> Rita took his shoes off, and then covered him with a blanket. She shut the alarm off, and then went downstairs to make herself a cup of coffee.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Chris shot up like lightning when the phone on the night stand began to ring. He shortly rubbed his eyes before he lifted the receiver from the cradle.
> 
> "This better be good." he groaned as he sat up.
> 
> "Lorenzo, I thought I told you yesterday to meet me and your new partner at exactly 8am in my office. It's 5 past 8, and you are still at home. May I ask you why?"
> 
> "Uhm..." Chris placed his hand on the receiver as he called, "Rita!"
> 
> "Lorenzo!" he heard Cap. Lipschitz yelling into the receiver.
> 
> "10 minutes, Cap, and I'll be there. I promise. See ya."
> 
> Chris smashed the receiver down in the cradle and crawled out of the bed, as he called for Rita again. She appeared in the doorway a moment later, already dressed in her biker cop uniform.
> 
> "Did you shut off the alarm?" he asked and changed his shirt in a rush.
> 
> "I was just about to wake you."
> 
> "Geez, I had a meeting with Cap at 8! I'll be assigned a loan out from robbery today to work on the robbery cases. Looks pretty damn good when the primary on the case shows up late."
> 
> "You could have told me."
> 
> "I could have told..." Chris shook his head, "You didn't have to shut off the alarm."
> 
> "Forget it. I just thought you'd like to have at least an hour to sleep."
> 
> Rita waved her hand in the air and left the bedroom. Chris rubbed his temple, then picked up a pair of trousers and got dressed. He plucked his shoes from the ground, and put them on while on his way downstairs. In a rush, he grabbed everything that was lying on the coffee table - as well as the blackboard.
> 
> "Hey, hey, hey, wait!!" Rita called after her husband, who was already as good as out of the door.
> 
> "This is mine, and you go grocery shopping today."
> 
> She took the black board out of his hands, and instead handed him a list.
> 
> "Sam, this is my work, and you know exactly I have no time to do grocery shopping."
> 
> With that, Chris handed the list back to his wife, and grabbed the board.
> 
> "Do you think I have time? I have a dozen new officers in my office, and Mack has a checkup at the pediatrician at 3pm, where you, my friend, have to take her."
> 
> "Excuse me?"
> 
> "I told you last night."
> 
> Chris groaned, "Okay, I'll take Mack to the pediatrician, but you do the grocery shopping. I have no time to argue about this, I am already late."
> 
> Chris placed a quick kiss on his wife's lips and was out the door. Rita shook her head lightly before she went to get her daughter to drop her at Frannie's on the way to work.
> 
> * * *
> 
> When Rita walked into biker patrol's new headquarter, she saw that her officers had already found the schedule she had pinned on the board the day before, and half of them where on patrol already as they were signed out on the radio list. As Rita saw that the four from California hadn't checked in, she decided to finally get a closer look at her office.
> 
> She carried the box she'd retrieved from the car to her office, and placed it on her desk. She sat down in her chair and studied the office. She could overview the squad room through a huge window. Behind her, a second window revealed a perfect view over the ocean. For a short while, she just silently observed the boardwalk from her chair, before she began unpacking the box.
> 
> With a smile on her face, she placed the last thing from the box in front of her on the desk - a photo of Chris and Mackenzie. A knock on the door made her look up.
> 
> "Lieutenant," one of her younger officers said, "the officers from California just arrived. They want to know what you want them to do today."
> 
> "I'll be there in a minute."
> 
> The officer nodded, and left Rita's office. She closed the blinds of the window behind her before she left her office.
> 
> "Morning." she greeted the four from California with a smile. "I thought maybe you'd like to go on patrol with us today. Training on a playground is still different from being out in the field."
> 
> "True. We're in."
> 
> 5 minutes later, T.C., Victor and Cory were teamed up with three officers, whereas Chris had volunteered to go on patrol with Rita.
> 
> And this should be just the beginning of an eventful day for Palm Beach's biker cops.
> 
> to be continued....
> 
> * * *
> 
> Standard Disclaimer: The characters of Chris Lorenzo, Rita Lance, Harry and Frannie Lipschitz belong to Stephen J. Cannell. The characters of T.C. Callaway, Chris Kelly, Cory McNamara and Victor DelToro belong to Bill Nuss. All characters also belong to USA Network. Characters that have not appeared in any episode of Silk Stalkings or Pacific Blue before belong to me. No infringement intended.
> 
> Thanks to Astrid for editing this for me. (And I still don't know *how* you could make rob out of rub! LOL!) And thanks to Jennifer for the title.
> 
> If you never saw Pacific Blue before and are wondering what Californian biker cops look like, go to my Pacific Blue page at [http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/~pmohr2][2]. Besides, most of you will know the actresses who play Chris Kelly and Cory McNamara from two Silk Stalkings episodes. Paula Trickey - who plays Cory McNamara on Pacific Blue - was seen in 4th season episode Ghosts Of The Past. Darlene Vogel - who plays Chris Kelly - was seen in 5th season episode Kill Shot. 
> 
> * * *
> 
> [Back To My Main Page][3]

   [1]: mailto:mitzi.kapture@the18thhole.com
   [2]: http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/~pmohr2
   [3]: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/5351/index.html



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